Langston Hughes Academy's financial manager may have stolen $50,000

Jennifer Zdon/The Times-PicayuneLangston Hughes was the first new public school building to open in New Orleans post-Katrina. Federal authorities are investigating the school's former financial manager for allegedly stealing about $50,000.New Orleans police records show that Kelly Thompson, the former financial manager at Langston Hughes Academy, was arrested this month after allegations she stole about $50,000 from the school by writing checks to herself from the school's account.

It's not clear whether the report includes the extent of the alleged theft, however. The case was turned over to federal authorities on Monday.

The police report includes photocopies of several checks that Thompson allegedly wrote to herself during October. It also includes a record of credit card purchases she made on a school card.

Thompson was booked into Orleans Parish Prison a week ago on 14 counts of theft of more than $500 and one count of unauthorized use of a credit card.

The charter school's CEO, John Alford, also resigned last week, although school officials have said they have no indication he did anything illegal.

According to the police report, Alford reported the possible theft to authorities on Nov. 14, a few days after he fired Thompson. Auditors alerted Alford to the "financial irregularities," who passed the information on to the school's board of directors.

Alford has said that he resigned because "at the end of the day I take responsibility for allowing this to happen."

Classes at the charter school will resume as planned on Monday, and school officials say they are trying to deal with the issue as quickly as possible.